Dechen Choekhor Mahavihara is
a faith-based, non-profit organisation, dedicated to propagate
the authentic living tradition of Tibetan Buddhism for the benefit
of all beings.

The missions and visions of Dechen Choekhor
Mahavihara is to preserve and promote the Tibetan cultures and
traditions, and the sublime teachings of Lord Buddha in this
part of world where its survival is under increasing
pressure.

The 1st Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche, Druk Shabdrung Choekyi
Gonpo

The 1st Drukpa Yongzin Rinpoche, Lhatsewa Ngawang
Zangpo

In ancient
Tibet, the sacred Land of Snow, Druk Dechen Choekhorling is
the historical mother monastery of great importance to Drukpa
Kargyu Lineage and the seat of both Drukpa Choegon Rinpoche - an
emanation of Vajrapani, and Drukpa Yongzin Rinpoche - an emanation
of Manjushri for centuries, is currently being rebuilt in the
beautiful pristine valley of Kullu, India. These two great masters
are traditionally known as the "Chokzig Namnyi", which means "the
two who possess the supreme view".

Druk Dechen
Choekhorling, Gonggar, Lhasa, Tibet.

'De' means Bliss,
'Chen' means Great, 'Choe' means Dharma, 'Khor' means Abode -
"Dharma Abode of Great Bliss" is what it denotes. Dechen Choekhor
being the foremost seat of the Drukpa Kargyu Lineage in Tibet, was
the cultural focal point for more than 300 monasteries that
branched out from it in the 16th century, including Khamtrul
Rinpoche's monastery - Khampagar in Eastern Tibet; Hemis
Monastery, Chemey Monastery and Korzog Monastery in Ladakh; and
Dorzong Monastery of Tibet. Tsechu Monastery of Trulshik Adeu
Rinpoche in Nangchen, Qinghai is a direct branch monastery of
Khampagar.

A
giant religious silk thangka with embroidery displaying the Buddha
Sakyamuni portrait, was unfolded by the monks of Dechen
Choekhor Tibet during the yearly Thangka Festival.

Since its inception
in 16th century, Dechen Choekhor, particularly the Lineage of
Drukpa Choegon Rinpoches, has held the Lineage intact, pure
and unbroken through their perseverance and diligent practices and
preservation for over 500 years; and it remains as the main and
respectable source for Buddhist learning and training to the
Drukpa Kagyu till today.

Today, as the
survival of the Tibetan culture and the religion grows ever more
uncertain, the reconstruction of Dechen Choekhor Monastery is of
dire importance. In the 16th century when it was originally
founded, Dechen Choekhor was comparable to the great Buddhist
universities of India, and to the great schools of theology and
classical learning in the medieval Europe. Many students came from
far and wide across the Himalayan regions to study at Dechen
Choekhor because it was well known for its training of
Lineage-Holding Rinpoches, tulkus and monks.

Dechen Choekhor Mahavihara is currently being
rebuilt in Kullu, India.

Although there are
over hundred Dechen Choekhor's Lineage branch-out monasteries in
the Himalayan region, there are still many monks and nuns who wish
to maintain the tradition of Dechen Choekhor, but have no main
monastery in which to do so. They have raised numerous requests to
both the previous and present Choegon Rinpoche to rebuild his main
monastery so that future generations would be able to receive
monastery training of the Drukpa Kagyu Lineage.

The three giant Buddha statues in the
main shrine of Dechen Choekhor Kullu, Northern India.

The teachers of the
present Choegon Rinpoche, H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, the 8th
Khamtrul Rinpoche and the 8th Trulshik Adeu Rinpoche, strongly
encouraged the reestablishment of this mother-monastery of Drukpa
Kargyu in India. Kullu valley of Himachal Pradesh is considered to
be one of the 24 holy places of Chakrasamvara, and it was visited
by Guru Padmasambhava and many of the great Mahasiddhas.

Kyabgon Adeu
Rinpoche wrote: "In Drukpa Kargyu Lineage, Dechen Choekhor
completely held to the Lineage of the Drukpa Kargyu like its
ancestral origin or the source of river.

It was the cultural
focal point for the entire Drukpa Kargyu Lineage and was well known
for its training of Lineage Holding Rinpoches and monks. Students
came from far and wide across the Himalayan regions to study. H.H.
Drukchen Pagsam Wangpo, H.H. Drukchen Kunzig Choenang, and every
single Khamtrul Rinpoches Lineages primarily received transmission
and teachings in this Monastery from Shabdrung Choegon and
Yongzin".

Present H.H. 12th
Gyalwang Drukpa writes: "Dechen Choekhor in Tibet has played a very
important role in guiding numerous practitioners on the path to
enlightenment. It was the source of many great teachings and many
important monasteries of Drukpa Kagyu Lineage".

*
Shabdrung (Tib: ཞབས་དྲུང་ ; also Zhabsdrung, means "at the feet
of"), is an honorific title in Tibetan Buddhism, mostly used to
address the second high-ranked lama of a lineage, who is the
important lineage or throne-holder.

Note to Reader:

Some readers might
be confused by the term "Kagyu" vs "Kargyu" use in this website.
Below are the short explanations on the actual denotation of these
2 terms. However, nowadays Drukpa 'Kargyu' and Drukpa 'Kagyu'
are used interchangeably in English media.

Kagyu -can be translated as "The
Lineage of the Oral Instructions." The first syllable "Ka" refers
to the scriptures of the Buddha and the oral instructions of the
guru. "Ka" has the sense both of the enlightened meaning conveyed
through the instructions of the realised master, as well as the
power and the blessing such words of insight carries; and "gyu"
simply means lineage or tradition.

Kargyu - The Kar (white) Gyu
(lineage) of Marpa, Milarepa, and their followers; many of which
dressed in white robes. Kewang Sangye Dorje, one of the foremost
disciples of Pema Karpo, suggested this name for our Drukpa Kargyu
Lineage.